Year of the Valentine's Monkey
by mcangel1976
Summary: Kyoya thinks he might love Haruhi, but he isn't exactly sure. Haruhi knows she loves Kyoya and when she confesses, he misunderstands. They have a rocky start, but as they welcome in the Year of the Monkey, anything is possible. The Monkey will not leave these two star crossed lovers lonely for too long and since Valentine's is right around the corner, Cupid may be able to help too.
1. New Year's Confession

_**Disclaimer…I do not own Ouran High School Host Club or its characters, but I wish I did. LOL.**_

 **A/N: Kyoya came in second for the Holiday story poll and here is his story. It will encompass both Chinese New Year and Valentine's Day. And since today is Chinese New Year – HAPPY NEW YEAR! Today we usher in the year of the monkey. Bear with me. This is just the setup and will be 3-4 chapters. Enjoy!**

Chapter 1 – New Year's Confession

Kyoya Ootori had somewhat convinced himself that holidays – of any nature – were created for the sole purpose of his irritation or torment and his best friend's utter enjoyment. It mattered not that holidays and celebrations had been around for millions of years. No, someone long ago saw into the future and decided Kyoya needed to be teased and lead about by a loony blond halfer.

The latest in Tamaki's crazy schemes – go to the shrine festival for Lunar New Year (Chinese New Year if you will). Okay, maybe that didn't sound like something truly torturous, but this was Tamaki we're talking about. Not only that, but the other hosts would be attending as well. In true Tamaki fashion, he wanted to attend just like commoners. They would wear cheap kimonos, pray at the temple, play games, eat food bought from a stand or cart, and then watch the fireworks at night. In fact, he wanted to be there when the bells rang in the New Year.

Everyone was on board…kind of. As soon as the president of the Host Club had explained his plan, Kyoya noticed a certain commoner face palm right before she groaned. Haruhi had been welcomed (read that as forced) into their fold the year before due to an unforeseen accident which led to quite a large debt. Having paid off the debt the year before, she could have easily left the group and walked away, but she chose to stay and Kyoya welcomed her with open arms (on the inside at least, he did have a reputation to uphold).

The moment she walked through those doors, she intrigued him. Nothing like the other girls in school, she stood up for herself, tried to reason with them, and ingratiated herself within each of the hosts' hearts, capturing some of them without realizing it. Kyoya's included. At first, it was the nuance of her, the intrigue that drew his eyes to her, made him want to tease her just so he could see her reaction; however, soon he found his eyes following her of their own accord. No longer was it about the nuance, but it was about her, her inner strength and beauty. Before he realized what it meant, he had fallen in love with her…or maybe it was just a crush or lust. He had never before experienced anything like any of that, so he wasn't sure. And if he wasn't sure, he wasn't going to confess. There was too much at stake because more than one host had fallen for her natural beauty and large chocolate eyes. Eyes that sparkled when she laughed, held the hint of tears making them appear slightly glassy when she thought of her mother, and were mesmerizing when they were full of steel the moment she was ready to argue or fight for something she believed in. Every day he found out something else about her, and every day it was getting harder to keep his confession to himself.

And just like with almost all of Tamaki's plans, the hosts found themselves at the festival dressed in kimonos and waiting for midnight when the bells would sound and the fireworks would explode. Until then, they would enjoy the vendors and games and anything else they could get into. Haruhi had tried to tell everyone that they didn't have to wear kimonos, but the twins ambushed her at her house with their demonic twin maids who helped her into a winter kimono that was red and had playful monkeys along the bottom and arms. Once again, she had no choice in what she wore. Kyoya almost felt sorry for her….almost. His silent protest died a quick death when he saw her walking down the stairs towards the limo. She looked extraordinary, and everyone told her – everyone except him.

"Haru-Chan, you look so kawaii!" Hunny gushed.

Mori stated, "You look pretty."

Haruhi started to blush, "Thank you Mori-senpai, Hunny-senpai."

"We knew you'd look great in that kimono!" Hikaru exclaimed.

His brother chimed in, "We designed it especially for you!"

Tamaki's jaw had dropped to the floor and a family of ants was just about to enter it when it finally snapped shut. Pulling himself together, he ran towards the brunette and pulled her into his arms hugging her tightly and swinging her around in a circle, "My little girl looks so adorable! You will be the prettiest princess at the festival!"

Seeing Haruhi start to turn an unpleasant shade of green, Kyoya interjected, "Tamaki, put her down. If we are going to make it to the festival and have time to do everything you want, we need to leave." The sun had just descended over the horizon and they had hours before midnight, but he had to do something to rescue her…and to tap down on the flare of jealousy that threatened to rise up within him.

"MOMMY! You're right!" Tamaki yelled directly into Haruhi's ear before setting her on her feet and yanking her into the limo so that she sat right between mommy and daddy. After the others filed in behind them, they were on their way.

As the limo moved towards the shrine Tamaki had selected, Kyoya noticed that Haruhi had a slightly pasty complexion and her breaths were shallower than normal. Was she unwell? Did they take her from her sick bed? As much as he wanted to ask, he didn't, but he would make sure to keep an eye on her.

A good thing he did too. Once they arrived at the shrine and climbed the 50 or so stairs to reach it, Tamaki and the twins were drawn in by the lights and sights around them. They wandered away as if in a trance. Hunny and Mori declared they were going to check out the food stalls (well, Hunny declared), and they left without a backwards glance leaving Haruhi alone with Kyoya.

Plastering on a small smile, Haruhi asked, "Should we followed someone, or was there something you wanted to do?"

His heart was racing, but instead of showing any outward reaction to this felicitous arrangement, he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and suggested, "I suppose standing here or returning home would not be an option." Her shocked expression and small shake of her head made him want to chuckle, "Then shall we stroll around to see if anything catches our fancy?"

She giggled. As much as Kyoya always tried to be the epitome of the Ootori family and businesslike, sometimes she could see that sparkle of something in his eyes, and that same sparkle was present now. She wasn't even sure why she was laughing. It just seemed funny to her…until she couldn't breathe. The maids that had helped her to dress had tied her obi too tight around her ribcage and she found it hard to breathe – something she had tried to tell them, but they ignored her. Clamping her mouth shut, she suddenly felt sweaty, hot, and lightheaded. And the last thing she saw before she passed out was the worried expression on Kyoya's face as he tried to catch her.

Sucking in a deep breath, Haruhi's eyes popped open and searched the area frantically. What had happened? Where was she? Suddenly, she remember. She couldn't breathe and then blackness. Feeling someone holding her hand, she looked down and then followed the arm attached to the strange hand up. Kyoya. Her heart fluttered at seeing him and a smile instantly formed on her lips – something it had been doing more often than not lately. She had been waiting to see if he would confess to her, and as of yet, he had not. Normally obtuse when it came to feelings, over the almost two years that she had known him, she had grown to know the man he kept hidden from the world…and she fell for him. His eyes would follow her, his lips would curl in a small smile – not a smirk, not a leer, but a true smile – and he would seek her out to ask her opinion or talk to her when they both found themselves free during club time. Didn't that mean he had feelings for her? Or was she just hoping he did because she had feelings for him? Projection she think they called it.

Wait! She could breathe. She could take a deep breath and it didn't feel as if her ribs would crack under the pressure. Why? Her hands went to her obi and while it was still slung around her midsection, it was loose, too loose to still be tied. "Kyoya?" Her whole question lie there in that one word.

"You fainted from proper lack of air. In order to allow you to breathe, I had undo your obi. Do not worry, we are far enough away from the crowd that no one can see anything. Your virtue remains intact."

"Oh." Why did she feel disappointed? It would have been embarrassing if others had watched Kyoya remove her sash, and if Tamaki or the others had seen…all hell would have broken loose. She shivered at the thought.

Believing her tremor was due to the cold and lying on the near frozen lawn, Kyoya helped her up, "Let me help you tie this again…not so tightly this time."

"You know how to tie an obi?" It was something she had not expected.

"My older sister showed me. We had maids that always helped her, but she wanted to know for herself and forced me to learn with her."

Snickering, Haruhi said, "I can see her doing something like that." She had met his older sister a couple of times in the time she had known him and all Haruhi could think…she was the female version of Tamaki.

He re-tied her obi in record time and made sure it was tight enough to stay put, but not so tight she would faint from lack of oxygen again. "Now, shall we go and find the others?"

That was the last thing she wanted to do. While she loved her friends, she was a woman on a mission tonight. Licking her lips to wet them, she noticed they tasted vaguely like peppermint. She had brushed her teethe long ago and hadn't chewed gum or candy, so how?

"Haruhi?"

"Huh?"

"Shall we go?"

"I like you," she spoke suddenly.

"I like you too. You are one of my few friends," he admitted in hushed tones. He wanted to believe she meant more, however, he would not allow himself to. The Shadow King was scared – not something he would admit or allow anyone else to find out. If he allowed himself to believe otherwise and she meant as just a friend…he would be heartbroken.

Before she could correct his misunderstanding, Tamaki tackled her and swung her around again. Thankfully this time she didn't feel like she was going to hurl due to wearing the equivalent of a medieval corset. And after he arrived with Hikaru and Kaoru, she didn't have an opportunity to tell Kyoya the truth.

"What happened to you?" Hikaru demanded eyeing the Shadow King with suspicion.

"Yeah, we looked back and you weren't there," Kaoru added.

"Did mommy and daughter have a date?" They chortled together. They both knew of Haruhi's infatuation for the club's vice president, and while they were both jealous and a little hurt when they found out, they've had almost six months to come to terms with her feelings. That being said, they still didn't trust Kyoya. He always had an agenda and if something didn't mesh with that, he would discard it. Neither twin wanted to see their friend broken hearted.

"WHAT?" Tamaki screeched. "MOMMY?"

"Don't be an idiot. You were the ones that left us behind. We merely walked around together until the point we could find you."

The blond hesitated before asking, "Do you want to have a date with her?" His barely controlled voice sounded as if it were on the verge of hysteria.

Kyoya's eyes widened. Had Tamaki seen through him? Surely not! He wasn't even exactly sure what his feelings actually were. Luckily, his lenses shielded his reaction, "Why would I want to date her? She's a commoner."

Gasping, Haruhi reacted before she knew what she was doing and slapped him. Her hand stung with the force and his cheek was quickly turning red, but she didn't care and she didn't wait around to see his reaction. Tamaki wasn't the idiot, Kyoya was.


	2. Need

**A/N: Thank you everyone! I have a few things plotted out for this story and Merlenyn, you will soon see the answers to your ponderings. :D Enjoy the new chapter! After this, the romance factor will be turned up!**

 **P.S. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO CRAZYKITCAT!**

Chapter 2 – Need

Her hand still stung and quite honestly, Haruhi had no idea where she was going. As soon as she had heard Kyoya's prejudicial and cutting remark about her economic status being the reason he could never harbor any sort of feelings for her, her body had reacted of its own accord and she had taken off to destination unknown. She had been a fool to believe he could lower his walls and defenses; that he could come to love someone who did not hold an elite status, but she supposed that he was his father's son after all and her heart lurched once again, her mind unable to forget his abrupt admission, "Why would I want to date her? She's a commoner."

The word rang in her mind like a curse word or something that left a bad taste. "Commoner". Maybe if her parents had not fallen in love, if her mother had not walked away from the life she had known growing up…maybe Haruhi would not be a "commoner", but that wasn't the way the world worked and she refused to feel sorry for herself or anything else. Her mother and father brought her into this world, into a loving home, and after her mother passed away, her father raised her to the best of his ability – granted, she was doing more of the raising, but Ranka had always been there for her when she really needed him. She knew what having loving parents meant, knew what it meant to work hard for what you earned instead of just being handed it on silver platter. She had fought hard and earned a full scholarship to one of the most prestigious high schools in Japan.

And just because her bank account may not compare, she still believed she was on equal footing with the hosts. They were ignorant to the ways of the world. Except maybe the twins to some extent and Tamaki for a time, they weren't raised knowing, understanding, and being embraced by the love of their parents. For the most part, she gave them all a pass on some of the things they said or did…even as she rolled her eyes, harrumphed, and face palmed.

She gave them a pass until tonight. She couldn't just forgive and forget what Kyoya said. Couldn't just let it roll off her back as she tended to do with some of the ignorant things the hosts had said since the day she met them. Couldn't and wouldn't. Maybe she was being mean or whatever, but nothing had ever hurt as much as what Kyoya had said. It felt as if someone had stabbed her in the heart with an ice pick, pulled it out and shoved it in again, twisting and digging it into the life giving organ.

Her feet slowed and she came to a stop. A cliff jutted out in front of her, the waves could be heard crashing down below. Memories came rushing back of the time when she fell off a similar cliff in Okinawa when the hosts had decided to take her to a beach. Her decision to act instead of call for help got her into trouble that night…and tonight wasn't much different. There may not have been drunk teens harassing a group of girls, she may not be mistaken for a boy or pushed around, but she had still acted without considering the ramifications. Kyoya is going to probably be pissed that she had slapped him, and she didn't care one iota. Let him ship her off to some faraway land where she didn't know the language – at least it would get her away from him and then maybe, her heart could heal.

New Year new start? If that was the case, why did part of her still want to turn around and give him a chance? A chance for what? To explain himself in the hopes she could forgive him? She didn't know. She only knew that her heart hadn't hurt this much since she was a young kid and she found out that her mother would never be coming home again.

 ** _Elsewhere…_**

"Are you an idiot?!" Tamaki rounded on his best friend, all pretense of his normal happy go lucky attitude gone in a flash.

Kyoya stood there still astonished that Haruhi had hit him. She had taken her hand and slapped him across the cheek sending his glasses tumbling to the ground. She hit him across the face. He had been slapped before by his father and the embarrassment and shock were nothing compared to today. Haruhi had hit him.

Grabbing his best friend's shoulders, the blond Host Club president shook him, "Kyoya! Why did you do that to our little girl?"

The normally bespectacled teen frowned and shook off his friend's grasp so that he could bend down and retrieve his glasses. He felt naked without them, as if his mask had been ripped away, his wall crumbled to the ground. _'_ _Was Tamaki really only worried about Haruhi in a fatherly sense?'_ was the thought that flashed through his head in that moment.

"Why Kyoya? Why?" Tamaki's hands landed on his friend's shoulders again and he could not stop himself from shaking the Shadow King, uncaring of the consequences. Actually, it wasn't that he didn't care, but like with many other moments in his life, he just didn't think about them – besides, Kyoya wouldn't actually kill him. Would he?

"Yeah, why did you do that to her?" Hikaru seethed. Almost six months ago, he had casually asked Haruhi if she liked anyone in an attempt to see if he had a chance with her or not. If she had feelings for Tamaki, he believed he would be able to step aside. The answer he and his brother received were not what he was expecting. Yes, she did like someone. The twin's curiosity was piqued, but both managed to wait about an hour before Kaoru asked what her type was, and her answer, "I like smart, intellectuals, who may not be so quick to smile a real smile or show their feelings, but when they do, you know they mean it. Glasses don't hurt either." Just that description…there was only one host that fit the bill: Kyoya Ootori. After that, both twins had gone through the seven stages of grief before they were able to accept it…not that they really did, but since it was her choice, they attempted. However, now that Kyoya had said what he said, Hikaru wanted to murder the Shadow King.

"That was low Kyoya-senpai. Even for you," Kaoru sneered. He had been more accepting of Haruhi's choice than his brother, but now…Kyoya didn't deserve her. Then again, he couldn't say that the Shadow King ever really deserved her. She deserved someone who saw more than dollars and cents, someone who would cherish her and treat her like the treasure she truly was. Instead, she had fallen for the man who held her debt over her head, constantly adding to it during her first year in high school.

Once again pushing his best friend away, Kyoya bent down and placed his glasses back on his face, adjusting them until they sat properly and spoke, "I don't believe this concerns any of you."

"See, that's where you're wrong," Hikaru chided.

Nodding, the younger twin said, "He's right. Haruhi is our best friend and her business became our business when you decided to treat her like she's nothing."

Tamaki gazed upon his friend, sadness filling his eyes. His shoulders drooped, his eyes glistened with tears, and the frown on his face bespoke the confusion and melancholy he felt for Kyoya's treatment of Haruhi. He had known Kyoya was…for lack of a better term, a stuck up ass at times, but Tamaki never believed he would ever treat Haruhi like she was nothing more than dirt beneath his feet, because while he never had confirmation, he believed that Haruhi and Kyoya loved each other. Not the normal crush like feelings of schoolgirls and such, but real deep down feelings. It was one of the reasons Kyoya constantly added to her debt. In the beginning, he looked upon Kyoya as a fellow competitor for Haruhi's heart, but it didn't take Tamaki long before he realized that Haruhi's eyes followed the vice president when she thought no one was looking. He had always been astute, able to read people and their wants/needs, but this was the first time it had ever lead to his own heart cracking. That day, he made himself a promise that he would do what he could to support the two obtuse lovers, however, he would also not hand over his precious princess to Kyoya so easily. The Shadow King would have to prove that he deserved her love…today, Kyoya proved otherwise and had been a callous bastard to the one woman who had not deserved his contempt.

Shaking his head, Tamaki didn't try to grab Kyoya again, but with his voice filled with disappointment and worry, he said, "Why? She has done nothing to you! Has done nothing but support you and this club. She's the pearl among swine…or however the saying goes. You…Why Kyoya? Why?"

"What happened? Where's Haru-Chan?" Hunny asked as he approached the others, his cousin right behind him. Everyone looked too serious in this festive atmosphere, and one person was missing.

"Kyoya-senpai is a fucking…" the twins began, but Tamaki interrupted them.

"Kyoya was mean to her," he answered remorsefully.

Hunny took one step forward and demanded, "What did you do?"

"I spoke…" Kyoya was about to say "the truth", but even he knew that to be the worst lie. He had hurt her and had the palm print on his face to prove it.

Mori could see the murderous intent in the others' eyes, and he felt the same, however, chastising and hurting Kyoya would not find Haruhi, nor would it help the situation, "We need to find her."

No. They didn't need to find Haruhi, he did. Kyoya had spoken words he did not mean, had hurt the one person he never wanted to hurt, and he had been standing there in shock wasting time since she had runaway. This was his fault, his responsibility, but more importantly, he wanted to tell her that he was sorry and that he didn't mean what he had said. If the others found her, he might not get another chance. Never before had he felt as fearful of the immediate future as he did now, "No, I'll go and find her."

"Don't bother," the twins scoffed.

Narrowing his eyes, a smirk appeared on Kyoya's face, "Tachibana, Hotta, Aijima!" A snap of his fingers and the three men appeared out of nowhere and grabbed Tamaki, Hikaru, and Kaoru, detaining them. He didn't stop to see what Mori or Hunny would do, in his estimation they may be more of a hindrance, but they also knew when to back off…unlike the other three. Given the fact he had called his bodyguards, surely the two graduated hosts would understand how serious he was about pursuing Haruhi on his own. Now he just had to find her and… He gulped. And what? Beg? He didn't beg. He was an Ootori. Then again, if he found himself begging anyone for anything, it would probably be Haruhi for her forgiveness. Hopefully it wouldn't come down to that and he could keep at least a shred of his pride and dignity.

Maybe the kami or cupid (seeing as they were days away from Valentine's) could guide him on where she was and what he should say to win her heart. At this point though, he just needed to find her and tell her…he needed her…he loved her…he wanted her no matter if she was a commoner or the empress of the world. He really was an idiot, but this idiot needed her more than he needed air to breathe, and he would do whatever he could to prove it to her.

Attempting to pick up speed, he hit the crowd and tried to push his way through it. They were hindering his task, forbidding him from finding her. His neck turned from side to side, but he couldn't see her. Maybe she went home? He was starting to feel desperate and instead of continuing to fight the crowd, he jumped out of the main foray with the intent of going around the long way back to the entrance, and then something caught his eye. Running past a cliff, he saw the woman he searched for, "Haruhi! What do you think you're doing?" She was standing so close to the cliff edge, he was almost afraid she would fall over the edge.

Spinning around at the sound of Kyoya's voice, her foot caught the edge of her kimono and she found herself slipping. A sense of _déjà vu_ filled her and if she hadn't been in mid tumble, she might have laughed or face palmed at not only her clumsiness, but that this was happening to her again.


	3. Challenge Issued and Accepted

**A/N: Thank you everyone! Your support is what keeps me writing! I hope everyone is having a good weekend. I will be publishing the last two chapters today and tomorrow. Enjoy!**

Chapter 3 – Challenge Issued and Accepted

His heart was going to stop…if it hadn't already. Seeing Haruhi trip over her own kimono and start falling, Kyoya had never experienced a panic such as he did in that very moment. His heart was beating so hard and loud, he was sure it would break his sternum and fly out of his chest. The blood was pounding in his ears and he couldn't hear anything around him. He couldn't even breathe. Air was trapped in his lungs, burning and suffocating.

Did he yell? He didn't know. Didn't remember, and he didn't care. Without thought for himself or anyone else save Haruhi, he ran the short distance separating him from her and grabbed her arm pulling her towards him. They would worry about injuries or dislocated shoulders later. She could yell and berate him later. He just needed to know she was safe. She landed against him with a thud and they both fell backwards landing on the dirt floor of the cliff with Kyoya holding her tightly in an attempt to shield her from the impact.

He sucked in his breath as his head hit the ground, a small stone or pebble digging into his skull as others under his back made him feel as if he had landed on a bed of needles. He wanted to scream at the pain. His back felt like it was on fire and he was sure it would be at least bruised if not a little bloody once he was able to pick himself up. And once again, his glasses flew from his face and landed on the ground; and the distinct crunch followed by someone shouting, "OW!" told Kyoya they had not survived this final adventure. Still they were a small price to pay for Haruhi's life. Anything he suffered, as long as Haruhi was safe, would be worth the cost.

His eyes looked from the mop of brown hair on his chest to the cliff. Had those ropes always been there? Hadn't they been closer? If he was to judge, he would say that they were currently about 20 feet from the edge. He could have sworn Haruhi had been inches from the edge and about to go over, plunging into the ocean below, possibly crushing herself against the rocks.

Groaning, Haruhi slowly lifted her head and narrowed her eyes, "What the hell do you think you're doing, Kyoya-senpai?" She stressed the word senpai and it came out almost as a sneer. She refused to succumb to the feelings his arms around her invoked, and refused to acknowledge how right it felt to be pressed against him. No, she would not allow herself to be happy that he had come after her or that in some sort of odd sense of duty felt the need to rescue her. Hell, the others were probably searching for her as well and Kyoya had just been the first person to find her…so he could ship her off or kill her and hide the body. Maybe both? Squirming, she tried to stand and found herself trapped, "Let go."

When she tried to get up, he tightened his hold on her, "No." How had he stayed away from her for so long? Now that she was here with him, his arms wrapped around her, her body pressing into his, everything fell into place, like a painting that was finally complete full of brilliant colors – a masterpiece.

"Excuse me?"

He could feel her indignation rising and hid his smile. Debating her, arguing with her, gave him a thrill he had never experienced before. Most of the time people couldn't hold their own against him or refused to get into with him. Not her though. She would dig her feet in and prepare for a fight. Of course, it didn't start off that way. During her first year, he was sure she was almost afraid to go against him because of her debt, but once that had been taken care of, the gloves were off and she gave as good as she got. She was glorious and he found himself looking forward to those moments when she could argue with him as if she already had her law degree and was in the middle of trying to win her case. Why had he said he didn't want her? Why had he ever questioned what his feelings were for her? The moment he saw her standing near the edge of the cliff – although now that he looked, maybe she wasn't as close as he initially believed – everything came crashing down on him. When he saw her run away, he had felt guilty and empty. He knew he needed her then, but seeing her on the cliff…his world stopped and his future flashed before his eyes: dark, uninviting with no love, hope, laughter, or light. He had no life, no world, without her. And if he couldn't convince her of that, then having her in the world would be enough until he could prove to her he needed her.

"Let go!" She demanded with more force than previously. The longer she lay there, the longer his arms stayed wrapped around her, the harder it was to shut herself off from him and the more it hurt her heart and her pride.

"No," he denied her again trying to find the words he needed to convey what was in his heart.

"Kyoya-senpai, if you don't let me go, I'll scream," her threat hung in the air. She had never resulted to something that one of the other girls at Ouran would do, but if it helped her cause, she would do it.

Before he could think of anything else, words rushed out of his mouth, "I like you." He settled on the same words she had used before. He wasn't sure why, but based on her reaction, he had a feeling she had meant more than just like as a friend. Coupled with everyone else's reaction to what he had done, he felt like a horse's ass…not that he would admit that to anyone. It was going with him to his grave.

Her eyes narrowed even further appearing as mere slits, "Yeah, as a friend. I got it. I'm nothing more than a commoner." Again she tried to push herself away from him, but alas her struggles were still in vein. She needed to escape because the disappointment and heartbreak were almost suffocating.

"No!" He snapped and then more softly said, "No, not just as a friend." He would spill his guts and if she still chose to walk away, he would let her go…for now.

"Then what?"

He lifted one hand, his other holding her tightly, and brushed her bangs out of her eyes, "You make me want to be a better man. You complete me."

"How very Jerry McGuire of you," she rolled her eyes. Inside, a small speck of hope had been ignited.

"When you are focused on your studying, you start to bite your lower lip. You secretly wonder what Tamaki and the twins will do next even when it usually irritates you. You don't care about what you wear, but you have been wearing more feminine clothing for the past year. You could care less about our bank accounts or our family connections – even if they could benefit you in your chosen future profession – and treat us like you would any of your friends prior to high school. You argue with me like no one else, are more genuine than anyone at Ouran, have a pure beauty that most girls crave, and are clumsy, oblivious, hardheaded, obnoxious to a point, fastidious…"

She interrupted him with a growl, "Are you supposed to be flattering me or insulting me?" The small speck sparked to a small flame of hope.

"You are also caring, loyal, intelligent, brave, and perfect for me."

"Perfect for…?" Shaking her head, she said, "I'm nothing more than a commoner to you. Let me go so I can get up."

He was afraid that if he let her up, she would run away again, so they remained on the group, the crowd seemingly oblivious to the two teens sprawled on the dirt. "You are so much more. I'm sorry. I spoke without thinking when I was put on the spot. I wasn't ready to face my feelings and didn't want to hurt Tamaki."

"Tamaki?"

"He, like with some of the other hosts, have developed feelings for you - myself included."

"No, he doesn't. He sees me…"

"The daddy act? Think about it logically. He uses it to cover up his feelings because he is unsure and had never experienced those feelings before. He is my best friend and the first person to show me I could be more than my family told me I could be."

"What are you trying to say?"

"If he wanted you, I would have been willing to step aside for him, but that is no longer true."

"What do you mean?"

Kyoya could see that she didn't trust what he was saying, that she didn't quite believe him. She was holding herself back from him. "I mean, I love you."

Her mouth opened and then closed, saying nothing. It wasn't that her mind drew a blank, it had more to do with the multitude of thoughts and feelings racing through her and she couldn't seem to settle on one.

Believing it was safe to release her now, he relinquished his hold on her body and set her to the side, getting up and then helping her to her feet. Still she said nothing. "Haruhi?"

Her heart sped up, the small flame engulfed her body and set everything ablaze with hope, love, and happiness. Did she dare trust him? He wasn't going to deport her for slapping him? Belatedly she realized, she already believed him, however, she would not let him off the hook so easily, "How can I trust you?"

"If you will reason it out, you can deduce it for yourself," he stated as his fingers went to his face to adjust the glasses that were no longer there.

Haruhi noticed his simple action and frowned. Her eyes scanned the ground and found the broken frames and lenses. She went to them and picked them up, "Kyoya-senpai, how good is your vision?"

"I need those for distance, but my vision is not so bad that I can't see several feet in front of me."

"Good because you're going to need a new pair of glasses."

"I know. I heard someone step on them after we fell."

"And you didn't attempt to go all Shadow King on them?"

"I had more pressing matters to attend to."

The thought of lying on the ground with his arms wrapped around her brought a blush to her face. "Is this some sort of revenge for slapping you?"

"While it was not a pleasant experience, I do not hold it against you."

"Who are you and what have you done with Kyoya-senpai?" She laughed nervously.

He approached her cautiously, "I deserved it. You were trying to tell me something before the others arrived, what was it?"

"Nothing."

"Haruhi?"

"I…" Sighing, she reasoned that he had confessed and now it was her turn, "I like you as more than a friend. That's all I was going to say."

"Then we are agreed."

"About what?"

"Our future."

"Excuse me?"

"Given that our feelings are mutual, it would stand to reason that we now begin a romantic relationship."

"Excuse me?"

He attempted to push his glasses up again, irritated when he could not, "What exactly do you not comprehend?"

"Everything! Do you really believe that just a few simple words, a confession, a brief apology, and that's all I need to jump into a relationship with you?"

"Yes," came his matter of fact reply.

"I need more."

"More? Such as?"

"I want to be wooed like you would one of the Host Club's guests!"

Taking a small step forward bringing them within inches of each other, he smirked, "Challenge accepted, but you will be mine by Valentine's Day."

She gave her own smirk, "Maybe. That doesn't give you much time to woo me."

"I don't need it," he commented confidently.

"You can't be serious!" Hikaru and Kaoru shouted joining the couple on the cliff, the others right behind them.

As Haruhi and Kyoya had challenged each other and come to an agreement, the other hosts joined them on the cliff having gotten away from the bodyguards thanks to Mori and Hunny. The graduated members could have dealt with the three guards sooner than they had, but they wanted to give Kyoya a head start. Apparently, that had done the trick.

Smiling sadly, Tamaki told his best friend, "Don't hurt her."

"I have no intention of ever making that mistake again," Kyoya proclaimed without looking away from the girl in question. By the time he was done romancing her, neither she nor their friends would question his intentions towards her.

Haruhi couldn't wait to see what Kyoya would do.


	4. Valentine's Choice

**A/N: HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY! Here is the last chapter of this holiday story and I hope it doesn't disappoint. Enjoy and see you in the next story!**

Chapter 4 – Valentine's Choice

If Kyoya were Tamaki, his plan to woo Haruhi would consist of a title for his plan. Something like Mission to Romance Haruhi and Win Her Heart. But he wasn't Tamaki and his plan for convincing her that he loved her did not have a name. It didn't need one because when it came down to romancing his intended, he believed that simple was better.

Haruhi wasn't like most girls. She had said she wanted to be wooed, but puppies, flowers, jewels, dinners out to fancy restaurants, and such would not win her heart. Not that he needed to do that because he already possessed it, he just needed to prove that he was worthy of it. The way he figured it, he had six days to convince her that he loved her the way she deserved. Less than a week, which may be daunting for some, but thrilled him. He was up for the challenge, relished it, and would win, shutting up the naysayers in the process – not that they were that important to him. They weren't. The only person he was concerned about was Haruhi. His friends were secondary.

The first day, Tuesday the 9th, school was closed for the New Year as it was the day before, choosing not to resume again until Wednesday. It gave Kyoya time to plan his next steps, however, he wasn't about to let one day pass without trying to win her. When noon arrived, he was knocking on her door with lunch. When she answered, his heart lurched and his pulse raced. Even dressed in an old t-shirt and shorts, she looked lovely.

"Kyoya-senpai?" Her voice sounded breathless to her own ear. Surprise and excitement bubbled up within her to see him, but she cautiously looked around. Never before had Kyoya come without the others in two.

"They are not here. I thought we could have lunch together."

"My dad's already at work," she stated simply.

Withholding a smile, he nodded. He had already known that Ranka would not be there, "I realize that."

"So…"

"Will you let me in?" He held up a large bamboo dish.

"Oh! Yes, please come in, senpai." She wasn't sure why, but she was a little nervous at the thought of having lunch together…alone, but she had also never been happier to have him in her home before. "If you go into the living room, I'll make some tea." Thankfully, it had already been steeping and she only needed to pour. "What are we having for lunch, senpai?"

"Otoro."

She blinked. Her eyes darted to the container. They darted back to him. She blinked again, "Otoro?"

"Yes. If I'm not mistaken," he smirked. He knew he was never mistaken, "The one time you tasted it, you liked it."

Liked? It was more than that. The delicacy melted in her mouth and if it wasn't for the fact that she had stuffed herself, she would have indulged even more. Since that day a little over six months ago, she had not had the opportunity to try it again. Kyoya removed the lid and sitting within the bamboo casing sat enough otoro to feed at least four people. It was a simple enough gesture for him, but it also told her that he remembered what she liked and probably disliked. Then again, this was the Shadow King. He had a dossier on everyone he knew and probably people he had never met before. His information probably exceeded the CIA. Swallowing hard at the plethora of sushi before her, she kneeled next to him and said, "Itadakimasu," groaning around the bite she immediately shoved in her mouth. Kyoya was off to a good start.

On day two, he copied a love sonnet from Shakespeare and left it on her desk before school started. When she came in, she would find it and hopefully understand that it conveyed his feelings and tell her that his love would not change or diminish. His love was timeless. Not everything the poet and playwright wrote were depressing tragedies, but even in those, one could find beauty and love. However, a tragic play was not what was needed right now:

 _Let me not to the marriage of true minds_

 _Admit impediments. Love is not love_

 _Which alters when it alteration finds,_

 _Or bends with the remover to remove:_

 _O no! it is an ever-fixed mark_

 _That looks on tempts and is never shaken;_

 _It is the star to every wandering bark,_

 _Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken._

 _Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks_

 _Within his bending sickle's compass come:_

 _Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,_

 _But bears it out even to the edge of doom._

 _If this be error and upon me proved,_

 _I never writ, nor no man ever loved._

His love was timeless and unshakeable, and this poem conveyed his feelings perfectly. If he were more gifted by the word muse, he might have been able to write his own poem, but that was one gift he did not possess, thus he would let William speak for him.

Early before the first period bell, he snuck into her classroom and left a rolled up scroll on her desk. It was tied with a red ribbon with a purple rose secured in the knot; and then he returned to his own classroom and waited for her to arrive. Pulling up an app on his phone, he was able to watch everything that happened using the various cameras he placed around the room. Nothing would escape him.

Haruhi arrived early, as she always did, and found the gift on her desk. Unfortunately, Hikaru and Kaoru had also chosen this day to arrive early and the older twin tried to pick up the scroll before Haruhi could. A quick chop to his head by her and he dropped it quickly, his hands holding his aching skull. Carefully, she picked it up, a small smile on her face, and sniffed the rose. It was not overly fragrant and had an almost sweet fragrance that blended with the rose perfume…a natural occurrence with some of the hybrid roses. Removing the rose and the ribbon, she unrolled the scroll and her smile grew, her eyes misted, and she sighed. Her entire reaction was very subtle, and if he didn't know her so well or if he hadn't been watching her so intently, he may have missed it all.

"Let us guess," Kaoru began.

Hikaru rolled his eyes, "From the Shadow King."

"How droll," they announced together.

She snickered a little, "Not droll. It was…classy and beautiful."

"If that's all it takes, I can leave pieces of paper on your desk too!" Hikaru snapped.

"You don't even know what's written."

"I don't have to."

"Watch it Hikaru! Kyoya-senpai is trying!" She thought to herself, _'_ _And he's doing a great job.'_ Reading the words he had written made her heart flutter and feel lighter than it had previously.

On day three, he arranged for her to sit in a session of the High Court for the day, Ouran agreeing to give her an excused absence so that she could participate in this learning opportunity. She only had to report on what she saw and learned.

At first, Haruhi was a little irritated that she would be missing class, however that soon gave way to other feelings. This was an opportunity most never got to experience and she desperately wanted to watch. The whole day was spent listening to court proceedings and meeting the judges. She was on cloud nine. Kyoya knew her well.

On day four, she woke up with a fever and had been unable to attend classes…even though she tried. The twins caught her when she was a little unsteady on her feet and took her to the nurse. Had Kyoya not seen the twins practically carrying her to the nurse, Hikaru and Kaoru would have kept it from him for the day. Instead, he took her home, arranged for one of his maids to do the housework, grocery shopping, and cooking, staying with her the entire day to make sure her fever broke and she got better. Seeing her sick tore at him and he felt helpless, but being with her helped to ease the worry.

Thankfully, day five landed on a Saturday and although her fever had broken late the day before, Kyoya wasn't going to let her do too much. He had stayed with her through the night, sleeping in the living room – close in case she needed him.

On this day, he handed her the lecture notes from the two days of school she missed having emailed her teachers in order to request the information. Then he spent the day helping her with her homework and making sure she understood the lessons she had missed. That night, he took her to dinner at a family restaurant not too far from her home. It was not up to his standards, but he knew it would make her happy. It turned out that the food, while heavier than he was used to, actually tasted pretty good.

"Surprised?" Haruhi snickered.

"In reference to what, may I ask?" He lifted a brow in question, his smirk firmly on his face.

"The food."

"I will admit that I expected it to be tasteless and subpar, but this is quite tasty."

Her gentle laughter engulfed their table, "I know."

He could live forever and not get enough of her laughter, her voice, the way she looked at him in that moment, or her…just her. And when he walked her to her door, he kissed her goodnight and reluctantly left her. Now that he had a taste of what it was like to be with her – without the others – for 24 hours, he was loathe to leave her.

Day six had finally arrived. Valentine's Day. Today he would declare himself to her and see if he had won her over. If last night was any indication, he had.

Dressing carefully in a black suit, white button down shirt, and red tie, he placed a red bud through the hole on his lapel and then grabbed the bouquet of roses he had customized for her. The two dozen roses were dyed so that each rose was half purple and half red. Red and purple petals melding together creating one special rose.

He thought – naively believed really – that he would arrive at Haruhi's apartment, sweep her off of her feet, and they would live happily ever after. He was wrong. He should have known the other hosts would show up at her door, each worried that she had missed two days of school, wanting to check on her and give her their Valentines' to her. In the case of Mori and Hunny, it was fairly innocent – or so Kyoya believed. For Tamaki, he thought that while the blond had feelings for her, he knew she belonged to Kyoya – or so Kyoya believed. For the twins, there was nothing innocent about them or their actions – or so Kyoya believed – actually that one is probably right. He had miscalculated, something that hardly ever happened; however, this could be turned into a positive. With them there, they could bear witness and see for themselves that Haruhi had chosen him, that he had met the challenge and won the princess.

When he had pulled up in front of her apartment building, he could already see the others clamoring around her door and then being admitted into the sanctity of the Fujioka home. Kyoya growled under his breath and got out of the car to make his way up the stairs. He would not allow the other to deter him in any way. A brief knock on the door and his smile faltered. It wasn't Haruhi who had answered, but Hikaru…or was it Kaoru?

"Sorry, we don't accept solicitations," the redhead sneered and attempted to slam the door in the older host's face.

Hikaru, definitely Hikaru. Even if Kaoru was upset, he wouldn't be that mean, stupid, or childish. Grabbing the door before it could close, Kyoya told him, "I'm here to see Haruhi." His voice was louder than normal because he wanted to be sure she had heard him.

"Come on in, Kyoya," Haruhi called from the kitchen, smiling as she popped her head into the open space between door and jam. "Hikaru, you promised you would behave. Now go and wait with the others while I get the tea."

Raising his brow in question, he asked, "Behave?"

"I told them that you were coming over today and that if they came in they had to behave," she explained when Hikaru grumpily stomped off and joined the others in the living room.

Five heads peered out of the room he had disappeared into and watched the exchange near the door. Haruhi had let the Shadow King in, but they still stood near the exit, neither saying anything.

"Boss, shouldn't we do something?" Hikaru growled softly.

"No, we stay put men, but if he makes her cry, we will save her!" Tamaki ordered

"What do you mean 'if'? He's Kyoya. Of course he'll make her cry!"

"You don't know that, Hika-Chan!" Hunny snapped.

"Shhh!" Kaoru hushed them all in order to listen the exchange.

In the kitchen, Kyoya handed Haruhi the roses, "These are for you."

Gasping, she gently fingered the petals, feeling their softness with her fingertips, "They're beautiful." Her eyes lifted to his and she smiled, "Thank you, Kyoya."

"Hey did anyone else notice that she isn't adding the senpai today?" Hikaru whispered and received four nods of agreement.

Fighting the urge to roll his eyes because everything they said in the other room could be heard, Kyoya said, "I love you. I'm no longer unsure or hesitant, and I want more than a few days to show you what you mean to me. I'm not proposing today – I know you are not ready for that, and neither am I – but I am proposing that we take another step in our relationship to see where this goes. You are more than just a commoner to me. You are the woman that captured my heart, who showed me that it was all right to love, to find love, and to be loved. I made a mistake the other night due to my uncertainty about my feelings and those of everyone else, but I realized that it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks or says – your opinion is what matters in this situation. I want the opportunity to woo you as you should be so that we can each see what lies between us. Will you give me a chance?"

Tears clouded her vision, however, they did not fall. With a broad smile on her face, she nodded and sniffled, "Yes." Throwing herself in Kyoya's arms, she felt at home when he pulled her towards him in a tight embrace. She pulled back a little and kissed him, slipping a fortune into his palm, "I guess my fortune was right after all."

"I thought you were supposed to leave this on the tree," he chucked and unrolled it. _"_ _Good fortune and love will find you in the New Year."_ Nodding, he kissed her and whispered against her lips, "It would appear so. I guess we should go to the temple and give thanks to both the kami and cupid."

This wouldn't be their first New Year's or Valentine's together. They had many more through their marriage and life, standing side by side. And even though they had a less than cool and perfect start, they naturally fit as two pieces of the same puzzle, and found love and happiness together.


End file.
